Cisco Systems made a host of announcements yesterday based on its architecture for voice, video and integrated data (AVVID). In addition to convergence technology, it also launched its new Content Delivery Network (CDN) system, designed to accelerate the rollout and delivery of Internet-based content.
The new additions to the AVVID family are predominantly client access devices, such as an enhanced IP phone with LCD display and XML capabilities; a new soft-phone, the Cisco WebAttendant for receptionists; and the uOne 5.0E unified messaging solution.
The application products released include the Cisco Auto-Attendant, designed to route customers through an organisation without the need for an operator; the Cisco IVR (interactive voice response) solution, which can link into a company`s directory solution, Web site, or back-end solution, or be used as a standard IVR; and the IP Contact Centre solution (IPCC).
The IPCC provides integration with existing call centre solutions, such as Siebel, with a new IP telephony infrastructure, allowing customers to get support through multiple mediums, including voice and the Internet.
Auto Attendant and IVR are closely linked to another improved AVVID service - the Cisco e-services application engine. This has been boosted by Java Beans, which include directory, database and Web access, queuing services, a notification server (for e-mail and paging), VXML services, and telephony. Cisco says that, thanks to the new engine, IVR and Auto Attendant applications can be programmed through a drag-and-drop interface.
"It is the applications that will drive the adoption of voice-over-IP in the enterprise," states Phil Dean, voice solutions marketing manager, Cisco, Europe, Middle East and Africa. During a demonstration of the possibilities of a voice portal - where information can be pulled from multiple sources and delivered to users by voice - Dean states that crossing this boundary between the voice and data world "really adds value to this type of application".
Cisco`s CDN is targeted at both the first-tier service provider segment and the enterprise market. The concept is to push content out to the edges of the network, where users are most likely to access that content from, and respond to specific content through prioritisation and quality-of-service technology.
As part of this technology, Cisco has partnered with a number of application vendors to enable them to identify content by packet recognition. It says it will form a content alliance through the Internet Engineering Task Force, most likely in December, to ratify standards based around content routing, peering protocols and billing services.
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